Football

Dublin vs Mayo: The stats

Andy Watters

Andy Watters

Andy is a sports reporter at The Irish News. His particular areas of expertise are Gaelic Football and professional boxing but he has an affinity for many other sports. Andy has been nominated three times for the Society of Editors Sports Journalist of the Year award and was commended for his inventiveness as a sub-editor in the IPR awards.

Philly McMahon had a memorable duel with Aidan O'Shea in Mayo and Dublin's drawn encounter
Philly McMahon had a memorable duel with Aidan O'Shea in Mayo and Dublin's drawn encounter Philly McMahon had a memorable duel with Aidan O'Shea in Mayo and Dublin's drawn encounter

Mayo v Dublin replay

Key battle

Jack McCaffrey (Dublin) v Jason Doherty (Mayo)

McCaffrey was kept quiet for long spells last Sunday, but in the second half he landed two blows that came close to knocking Mayo out.

Jason Doherty’s scoring threat had been sacrificed to cancel him out and Doherty had matched him for pace when McCaffrey tested his legs in the first half.

But the Clontarf wing-back gave him the slip in the second half and almost won the game for the Dubs.

First he made a galloping run up the right flank and his unselfish pass to Brian Fenton at the far post led to Kevin McManamon’s goal. He joined the attack once again minutes later and added a point to send his side seven points ahead.

In the end seven wasn’t enough, but McCaffrey has served notice that he can do damage and if Mayo let him off the leash again this evening there might not be a way back for them.

Tactical take

Mayo

THEY were too clever by half first time out and it really should have cost them the match. Mayo managers Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly had used Barry Moran as a sweeper against Donegal and he moved up to midfield for kick-outs giving them near total dominance and blotting out Neil Gallagher’s influence. Moran should start this evening.

Instead of sticking with that tactic last Sunday, they dropped Moran and the Dubs had a lot of success driving in diagonal bombs to their full-forward line. Also, instead of pushing up on Stephen Cluxton’s restarts, Mayo opted “to do the zones” and their zonal marking strategy didn’t work. Dublin corner-back Johnny Cooper was able to pull wide and gobble up kick-out after kick-out.

Mayo will surely look to push up this evening and force Cluxton – whose confidence must have been affected by his jittery finish in the draw – into making more decisions.

Dublin

THE supply ball into their full-forward line last Sunday paid huge dividends with Ciaran Kilkenny thriving off big punts in the direction of Bernard Brogan and Paddy Andrews.

The delivery bypassed Mayo sweeper Colm Boyle and more of the same should be in order tomorrow unless the westerners bring Barry Moran in as a second sweeper or can put more ‘heat’ on the ball coming out of defence.

Mayo are expected to mark-up at kick-outs and so the Dubs need to come with a new strategy in midfield. Michael Darragh Macauley is off the boil so Denis Bastick is likely to Brian Fenton who is still finding his feet at centrefield.

With Diarmuid Connolly suspended, Kevin McManamon is likely to come in. McManamon scored a goal after coming on as a sub last Sunday and Dublin will look to use his pace to do damage again.

Man of the moment

Philly McMahon (Dublin)

THE Ballymun clubman is a highly-rated defender and he had broken from the back to score in six games on-the-trot before the All-Ireland quarter-final against Fermanagh. But he sacrificed football for an all-in wrestling match with Mayo full-forward Aidan O’Shea last Sunday.

He was forced into marking the Breaffy warrior because of an injury to full-back Rory O’Carroll, but at times McMahon seemed to be dangerously close to losing control. TV footage appeared to show him head-butting O’Shea during one of many up-close-and-personal exchanges and his frenzied tackling on Colm Boyle led to Mayo’s penalty.

He was heavily criticised for feigning injury during the game too and so he will be scrutinised closely this afternoon.

Team talk

Mayo

MAYO are unchanged with Donal Vaughan listed to start although he was rated as “very unlikely” to play in the replay less than four days ago. Vaughan was forced off in the draw with a shoulder injury.

David Drake also keeps his place but it is likely that changes will be made before throw-in with Barry Moran coming in for Drake and returning to his sweeper role.

Robert Hennelly; Ger Cafferkey, Donal Vaughan, Keith Higgins; Lee Keegan, Chris Barrett, Colm Boyle; Séamus O'Shea, Tom Parsons; Diarmuid O'Connor, Aidan O'Shea, Kevin McLoughlin; David Drake, Cillian O'Connor, Jason Doherty

Dublin

TBC

Ref watch

Eddie Kinsella (Laois)

THE Courtwood clubman took charge of last year's All-Ireland SFC fnal and did fairly well, although he might have clamped down more on off-the-ball incidents, notably Aidan O'Mahony's manhandling of Michael Murphy. Having said that, he did hand out seven yellow cards, keeping a lid on tension.

Has refereed both counties in Division One this year – Mayo against Cork and Dublin against Kerry.

Angered Down fans in their Ulster Championship clash with Derry for sending off Mourne defender Conaill McGovern. Since then he officiated in the Qualifiers between Armagh and Wicklow and Donegal and Galway.

Last five Championship meetings

August 30, 2014 All-Ireland semi-final: Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-15

September 22, 2013 All-Ireland final: Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-14

September 2, 2012 All-Ireland semi-final: Dublin 0-16 Mayo 0-19

August 27, 2006 All-Ireland semi-final: Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-16

September 8, 1985 All-Ireland semi-final: Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-7

Paths to the replay

Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-15 (All-Ireland semi-final)

Dublin 2-23 Fermanagh 2-15 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

Dublin 2-13 Westmeath 0-6 (Leinster final)

Dublin 5-18 Kildare 0-14 (Leinster semi-final)

Dublin 4-25 Longford 0-10 (Leinster quarter-final)

Average for: 3-22; Average against: 1-11

Dublin top scorers: Bernard Brogan 5-18, Dean Rock 2-19 (0-10 frees, 0-3 ‘45s’), Diarmuid Connolly 4-10 (2-0 penalties, 0-1 free), Ciaran Kilkenny 0-16, Paul Flynn 2-4, Kevin McManamon 1-6, Alan Brogan 0-5, Jack McCaffrey 1-1

Mayo

Mayo 1-15 Dublin 2-12 (All-Ireland semi-final)

Mayo 2-13 Donegal 0-11 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

Mayo 6-25 Sligo 2-11 (Connacht final)

Mayo 1-15 Galway 2-8 (Connacht semi-final)

Average for: 2-19; Average against: 1-12

Mayo top scorers: Cillian O’Connor 2-28 (0-23 frees, 1-0 penalty, 0-2 ‘45s’), Aidan O’Shea 4-5, Lee Keegan 2-3, Jason Doherty 0-6, Seamus O’Shea 1-1, Diarmuid O’Connor 0-5, Andy Moran 0-5

Betting box

Dublin evens

Draw 15/2

Mayo 6/5